Fire & Beauty
by Raeinspace
Summary: Maleficent/Belle pairing, title may change. Belle is working in the library. She has been warned not to use the lift, there is a dragon in the basement. Still, she is curious and finds a way to talk to her. When Maleficent answers, is she just trying to make Belle break the rules or does she really feel something for the book-lover?


**Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT, etc...**

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><p>Belle was re-shelving the latest returns in the library when she heard the noise. Emma had warned her about the dragon in the basement when she first re-opened the building, but this was the first time she had heard anything from down there. They hadn't forbidden her from entering the lift, or from going down into the basement, but she knew that had been implied. Why would they expect a quiet little bookworm to want to see a dragon? They were dangerous.<p>

Belle tiptoed over to the lift. She pushed back the fake wall hiding it and studied the buttons. It looked as though a second person was required to operate the lift from out here, but because there wasn't anyone she could ask for help she would have to find another way.

Before she realised what she was doing, her hand reached out and she pressed the intercom. If she couldn't go down there, perhaps she could talk to the creature.

"Hello."

There was silence as she released the button and waited for a reply. She wondered if the dragon was even awake.

_"One more try, then that's it." _She told herself.

"Hello, can you hear me?"

She waited a few minutes, shook her head in disappointment and hid the lift again. Perhaps there wasn't a dragon. Or if there was, maybe it wasn't intelligent enough to understand how to use the intercom. Would its claws damage the buttons?

Belle returned to the book section where she had been working, trying to remember if she had seen any books on dragons.

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><p>Maleficent opened her eyes as the voice whispered through her prison. It sounded so soft and young. She had been half-expecting a visit from Regina.<p>

The voice called out again. She couldn't believe that it was meant for her. Regina never allowed her visitors. She wondered if the voice had a name. So she listened for a while, waiting for it to say something else. Once again she was left in silence. _Ah well, _she thought to herself, _it had been nice not to feel so alone for a moment_.

She closed her eyes and drifted back off to sleep. That was the best part of her dragon form. She could sleep without growing hungry or aging. Time could pass by and she wouldn't be aware of it. Of course, if anything dared to enter her territory her instincts would wake her and she would be ready to protect herself.

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><p>"How's it going?" Ruby asked, leaning back against the librarian's desk as she spoke to Belle.<p>

"Really well. It's almost organised the way I want it. The school's going to bring the children in one class at a time so we can set them up with their own library cards. On Wednesday's they're going to hold readings for the younger ones, and Mary Margaret thinks we could hold a book club for the adults one evening a month."

Ruby smiled at her enthusiasm. "I meant with you."

"Oh." Belle returned her smile. "I'm still getting used to this world."

"Gold giving you any trouble?"

"I've agreed to meet him for lunch."

"So you really like him, then?"

The question made Belle reach for the nearest book. It was comforting holding it in her hands. She pretended to re-shelve it without looking at the title. If it was in the wrong place she could always move it later.

"Not in that way, no."

"I heard you knew him in the other land."

"That's right."

Ruby blushed and looked away first. "Sorry, Granny tells me I need to think before I speak. I didn't mean anything by it…"

"I agreed to be his housekeeper." Belle's voice was forgiving. "He was the only one who could save our kingdom and I wanted to see new places."

When Ruby looked back, Belle was standing nearby, holding out a book towards her. "What's this?"

"Try it, I think you'll like it."

"I don't really…"

"Two chapters, promise you'll at least try it that far." Belle pressed it into her hands.

"Have you read it?" Ruby asked, turning it over to read the back cover.

"I'm the librarian. Trust me. After all, I had to trust you when I first came to eat at the diner."

Ruby laughed. "That's true. Two chapters?"

Belle smiled and nodded, suddenly feeling shy around her.

Ruby hung around a little longer, telling her about her life when Granny in the Enchanted Forest. When it was time for her to get back to the diner, she thanked Belle for the book and reminded her to stop by for a hot chocolate when she had closed up for the day.

Once she had gone, Belle took her time opening a few more boxes of books, which had been stored away during the curse. She read the back of each book, turning through the first couple of pages if it sounded interesting, then placing them on her trolley ready to find them a new home among the shelves. When she came across one book, she had an idea.

She walked over to the intercom, pushing the trolley against the button to hold it down and opened the book to the first page. As she began reading, she pictured the dragon in the basement opening its eyes and beginning to listen to her. She imagined its appearance was similar to the Yaoguai she had once faced. Only larger, and with wings. She became so caught up in reading the story that she was nearly halfway through the book before she realised the time.

With a little regret, she pulled the trolley away from the intercom and closed the book. She waited, just in case the dragon made any more noise, but there was only silence once again.


End file.
